Not To Be Ignored
by TattooFairy
Summary: During one mission Ken is kidnapped. After weeks of torture and brainwashing, will Ken be the same?
1. Default Chapter

Note: Weiss Kreuz and its characters, along with the songs in this fanfiction, are not mine. Give credit to those who earned it. I hope you enjoy this! Leave comments!

PS: Songs will be done in **bold**.

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            It was another warm and sunny day at the flower shop. The men of Weiss were busy with odd jobs as girls of all ages came to watch. The squealing and giggling of the girls were driving Ran mad, while Yohji could not help but laugh. He was, after all, the playboy of the group, and enjoyed nothing more than girls hanging all over him. Ken and Omi were busy with a petunia bouquet, getting it ready for some ball, or at least, that's what they remembered it was for.

"If you're not going to buy anything, then LEAVE!" Ran yelled, placing roses in the window for display.

            Rans movements had caught the attention of a certain florist. Ken couldn't seem to keep his eyes off the tall redhead. His usual orange turtleneck hugged his throat, making it very easy to catch every movement that ran from his mouth to his chest. Most people thought that Ran should get rid of the old thing, but Ken knew that it wasn't going to be going anywhere soon. Moreover, he wasn't about to start complaining. Suddenly realizing that Omi was staring at him, he quickly turned back to the plant.

"What was that all about, Ken?" Omi asked.

"N...nothing. I was just seeing if Ran needed any help. But I think he's got it." The young brunette mumbled.

            Omi wasn't stupid, and neither was Yohji. They both knew what went through the soccer player's head every time the four of them were together. They could only imagine what was going through his head when he was alone with Ran. If only the man would give him the affections that Ken longed for.

            At closing time the guys went downstairs. It was time to go to work. They all sat around the screen as Manx ran over the information.

"So what we have here is a kidnapping spree. Young adults are being kidnapped, and we need to find out what is going on."

"Hunters of the night, deny these dark beasts their tomorrows." Persia commanded, as usual.

            After talking it over, they decided to check out the old underground railroads. All of the victims that they found had been near entranceways to the old stations, so they thought it was the best place to start. Climbing into the seven, they rode off; not knowing what was to take place that night. Or the weeks to follow.

"We should split up." Ken said, checking his bugnuks, making sure they had been sharpened. 

            Omi went to station himself on top of the tower, hacking into any system that he could find that would be connected to the train station. Ken, Ran, and Yohji went into the tunnels. Ken went right, Yohji went to the left, and Ran went through the service tunnel. 

"I've found something," Omi whispered into his intercom.

"What is it?" Ken asked.

"There's a large amount of energy being used at your end of the tunnel, Ken. Better be careful. You too, Ran. There might be some activity through those corridors. I think they're using them for quick escapes."

"Thanks Omi," Replied Yohji.

            As they walked further into the tunnels, Ken noticed a light coming from a doorway in the wall.

"I think I've got something," He whispered. "I'll let you know."

            Suddenly his intercom went dead. Ran pushed on his, trying to get the signal back.

"Yohji," He murmured, "I'm going down there. Something's not right."

            Ran rushed down the tunnel. Somehow he knew that Ken was in trouble. And he knew he had to help him. There was no way he was going to let the brunette be taken away from him before he even had him. 

            By the time he got down to the end of the tunnel, where the light was coming out of the door, all he found was Ken's jacket. But when he took a closer look, he found more than that. There was blood!

"Ken..." Ran, whispered. And suddenly all the blood rushed to his head, his face turning red with anger and hate.

            Unsheathing his katana, he slipped in through the doorway. Inside was a large room, almost like a warehouse. But Ran didn't care; he only wanted to find Ken. As soon as he heard someone walking down the stairs, he jumped on them.

"Where is he?!" He yelled, pushing the sword against the man's throat.

"Wh...who?" The frightened man cried.

"The young brunette. Who took him?"

"I..I don't know!"

            Ran didn't care. He wasn't going to stop until he found his teammate. Plunging the sword into the man's chest, he ran up the stairs. Looking around him, he found nothing. Not another person, not one piece of furniture, there was nothing. It's as if they knew they were coming, and had cleaned everything out before they had a chance to find them.

            Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to swing his weapon.

"Whoa! It's me, man. Did you find him?" The tall blond asked.

"No," The sullen look on his face explained everything. He lowered his blade and knew that the search had ended. For now.

"We need to regroup and figure this out." Yohji quietly stated. Ran knew he was right, but his instinct was to keep looking. He didn't want to give up and he didn't want to go home without him.

            The rest of the group went back to the shop to figure out how to find their lost member. Omi sat at the computer, trying his best to come up with any clues. Yohji stood talking to Manx about the situation, while Ran walked up the stairs. He kept going until he reached the rooftop. Looking out across the city, he thought of only one thing.

"I'll kill anyone who tries to keep you from me," He promised to the stars.

            Meanwhile, only 50 miles from the flower shop, Ken hung, unconscious. Chains were wrapped around his wrists and neck, his clothes were torn, and his jacket missing. Footsteps drew nearer as Ken started to wake up.

"I'm glad to see you're awake," The all too familiar voice said. He couldn't see clearly yet, but Ken knew that voice.

"Schuldig," He growled.

"Glad to see you remember me. How's your head?" The orange haired man asked.

"Couldn't be better," Ken barked back.

"Temper, temper, Ken. Wouldn't want to use up all your energy yet. Not before I've had my uses of you."

"What do you want? Weiss? It's not going to happen."

"Heh. Oh, but I have so many plans for you. Just you wait." He turned to leave.

"I'll never give in," The Weiss member growled.

            It seemed like hours as Ken waited for the orange haired man to come back. Looking around him, he noticed machines that were lined up against the rear wall. Things were hanging from the ceiling, what they were, he could not tell. Looking down he suddenly noticed, for the first time, a drainage pipe. And what seemed to be blood that leaked through it. 

"What the hell are they doing?" He asked him, unaware of the dark eyes that were watching him.

            Suddenly his restraints became tighter. His head was snapped backwards as he heard the all too familiar footsteps on the concrete floor. Schuldig walked up to one of the machines and pushed some buttons. He started to mess with other things as Ken tried to focus. He was having a hard time due to the lack of air to his body.

"Having some trouble, are we Ken?" Schuldig laughed.

"Uhhh..." Was all Ken could get out. 

"Don't worry," The Schwarz member continued, "This won't hurt. Very much."

            Schuldig grabbed something that had been hanging from above Ken. Pulling it down, he placed it over the brunettes eyes, leaving him blind. Grabbing a couple of wires, he connected them to the chains that held Ken down. Walking over to the consoles, he punched in the codes to start up the machine.

            Suddenly pain overtook Ken's whole body. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. He could feel every single shock and burn course this him, but he couldn't see the satisfaction on Schuldigs face when his screams began to fill the room. He couldn't see anything, since the mask had been placed over his eyes. But he could hear someone's voice. A familiar voice. And suddenly he realized...

"Ran," Ken thought.

            Schuldig walked up behind Ken, enjoying the pain that crossed the Siberian's face. With each shock of energy that surged through Ken's body, a part of him began to break. The voices were tearing him apart. All he could hear was Ran's voice, going over and over. He didn't know how, but these were the conversations he had had with his teammate. Conversations that had constantly tormented him. He remembered the anger he felt every time Ran ignored him, which was pretty often. He only gave the best when it came to Ran. He didn't understand why Abyssinian didn't respond to them. Most importantly, it aggravated him more than anything did. Ever since he had met the tall red head, he knew there was something special about him. But not once were the feelings sent back.

"WHY?!" Ken screamed through his clenched teeth.

"That's it," Schuldig remarked, "Let it out. You hate him for what he does to you. The way he ignores you, torments you with his eyes. You give him everything and ask for nothing in return. Why do you let him do that to you? You deserve better. You deserve to have what you want. You deserve him."

"No...I can't force him," Ken mumbled, exhausted from the pain.

"Why not? He forces you to ignore your feelings. Why shouldn't you force him to do something? It's not fair for him to get everything that he wants, and for you to leave empty handed." Schuldig enforced.

"But I..."

"Love him?" The man laughed, "Even more of a reason to get him to notice you. You deserve everything that you want. It's only fair."

            Every time that Schuldig pressed more about Ken's feelings, he would turn the electricity up, the voices getting louder in Ken's ears, and the shocks coursing stronger and stronger. He didn't know how long he would last, but Ken knew he couldn't give up. It was too easy to give in, but he didn't want to give up.

            Two weeks passed. The remaining members of Weiss were spending every minute looking for Ken. Ran was not about to give up and go home. He was determined to find his teammate. He just hoped that it wasn't too late. No, he would never think that. He knew he wasn't too late. It would never be too late to find him. He knew Ken wouldn't give up if he had been in the same situation. He had to keep trying.

"Ran," Omi quietly spoke up from behind him.

"Yeah?" Replied the distraught man.

"We're going to find him," The younger member mentioned. "I know we will. He's out there, and we won't give up until he's back home."

"Thanks," Ran mumbled as he placed his hand on his forehead.

            He hoped Omi was right. There had been many nights when Ran just wanted to get up and leave, look for Ken on his own. But Omi would soon bring him back to reality. Reminding him that Ken was part of the team, and as a team, they would find him. It had gotten to the point, the very night after it had happened, Yohji had to throw himself in front of Ran. The man nicknamed Abyssinian couldn't keep his thoughts together, they were going in mad circles through his brain. And all he wanted was one thing, the only thing he had really ever cared for besides his sister, was the one thing that had been taken away.

            Ran couldn't help but suppress the sigh that escaped his lips. No matter what, he would never give up hope.

            At that very moment, Ken was huddled in the corner of a dark room. Around his neck was a leather strap that was hooked to a chain, his hands were bound by handcuffs, and he had marks and bruises from all the things that Schuldig had done to him. Two weeks of torment, two weeks of pain and suffering, two weeks of anger building up inside. Schuldigs plan was going exactly the way he wanted it to. Ken was his puppet now, and all he had to do was pull the strings.

            Suddenly a light shone through the crack in the door as it scraped across the metal floor. Placing a lantern down on the small ledge that was supposed to be a table, Schuldig looked down at Ken. With lifeless eyes, Ken returned the stare, any sign of resistance had been shattered. There was nothing left of the Ken that everyone loved. He was a mere pawn in Schwarz's eye, only a toy they would later throw away. He meant nothing to them.

"It's time to take you out for a test drive," Schuldig implied.

            Unlocking the chains and restraints, two large men dragged Ken to a medium sized room. There was nothing in there but a large screen and a table. Leaving him, the men left, but not before placing a rather large knife on the table. Ken stood there, his mind doing nothing more than concentrating on his breathing. Schuldig was behind the one wall, where there was a two way mirror, and began his so-called test. He gently placed a video tape into the machine on the desk, and pushed play. At first, the screen was nothing more than static. But it soon came into view that it was a tape of someone. Someone Ken knew. 

            _That red hair, and that orange turtleneck_, Ken thought. _Those were the roses he put together for Mrs. Yakowa last month...and that was the soccer ball he gave me for my birthday._

            The thoughts of everything Ken and Ran had done soon came rushing back to him. But instead of feeling like his normal self, something was different. Threateningly different. Ken's blood began to boil, his heart raced faster with each second, and only one thought crossed his mind.

"STOP IGNORING ME!!!" Ken yelled.

            Suddenly realizing that there was a weapon laying only two feet away, Ken turned and picked it up. As the knife glistened in his hand, he threw the table out of the way. Looking up at the big screen that lay in front of him, he could only think of one thing. Flipping the knife over in his hand, he ran at the image of Ran. Schuldig couldn't help but smile as the screen ripped apart, followed by the throwing of the table into the wall. Ken slammed his fist into the wall, his breath out of control, as the Schwarz member pushed another button. Slightly behind the soccer player's ear was a small device. It was Schuldig's way of knowing that Ken wouldn't disappoint him, wouldn't finish the job before the orange haired man thought it was finished. 

"Let's call it a day before you break," He murmured.

            The two men who had brought Ken into that room came into to take him out. Placing his restraints back on him, they led him to another room. This room had a bed, a table, and a pile of what seemed like new clothes. Once they were in the room, they removed the chains, and left him to Schuldig.

"You might as well be comfortable your last night here, Ken." He smirked, running his finger along Ken's chin.

"What...was that?" Ken mumbled, not sure if he was even talking or if it was just his imagination.

"That's what you call anger," The other man replied, "It's a great way of getting what you want."

            Grabbing Ken by the shirt collar, Schuldig pulled him closer. He was close enough to smell the sweat off the Siberian's face. His other hand wrapped its fingers around the brunette's chin, and leaned in. Ken would have normally pushed away, but by now, he was used to it. He even expected it. It was what Schuldig did.

"Are you ready for your last test?" The man asked him, his lips just centimeters away. 

"Yes," Ken replied, sending a chill down the spine of his captor. 

"Good."

            A few hours later Ken and Schuldig, alone with the two men who seemed to accompany them everywhere, pulled up to the apartment where Ran lived. They knew he wouldn't be home; he'd be out looking for Ken. They'd kept surveillance on him for the last two weeks, recording everything he had done. Not once had he gone home. Schuldig and Ken stepped out of the van and walked right up to the front door. Now, normally Schuldig would have taken a more "stealthy" approach, but he knew it wasn't necessary. Walking to the back of the building they entered through a fire escape. Climbing up the stairs, the top window was open, and Schuldig stopped.

"This is where you go alone." He ordered. "Look through his things, see if you can find anything of use for us."

            Ken nodded his head. He was now wearing black pants, a green tank top, and his bugnuks. He stepped through the window, and walked straight into Ran's room. He was wearing a pair of goggles that could send images to Schuldig in the van. To make sure everything went according to plan. Turning on the small light in the corner of his goggles he could finally see what was in the room.

            Ken looked down at the table and saw a picture of the entire Weiss team. He was standing next to Ran, smiling, and looked like he couldn't be happier.

            **Your cruel deep eyes**

**            Your blood, like ice**

**            One look could kill**

**            My pain, your thrill.**

            The anger started to boil up inside of him. Grabbing the picture he squeezed it, breaking the glass.

            **I want to love you but I better not touch (Don't touch)**

**            I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop**

            Throwing the picture against the wall, it shattered in small fragments. Looking around he found the same orange turtle neck that the red head had worn so many times before.

**            I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)**

**            I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison**

**            You're poison running through my veins**

**            You're poison, I don't want to break these chains.**

            Ken couldn't understand how Ran could treat him that way. Or more to the point, how he couldn't treat him the way he _should_ have. Grabbing the shirt he held it between his fingers. The raw feeling of the cotton burnt his skin, the way the hate burned through his heart.

            **Your mouth, so hot**

**            Your web, I'm caught**

**            Your skin, so wet**

**            Black lace on sweat.**

Using his bugnuks he shredded the shirt beyond recognition. The only way he could tell it was that shirt, was by it's ever lasting smell of Ran. Suddenly, he could hear his voice inside of his head. Unknown to him, Schuldig was in the van and had decided to take it a step farther. He wasn't going fast enough for the Schwarz members needs.

            **I hear you calling and it's needles and pins (And pins)**

**            I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name.**

            Ken slammed his fist through the wall, trying to get the voice out of his mind. Picking up a lamp he threw it into the mirror.

"AAAARRRRGHHHHH!" He screamed, his hands on either side of his head. He tried desperately to get them to stop.

            **Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin (Deep in)**

**            I want to kiss you but your lips are venomous poison**

**            You're poison running through my veins**

**            You're poison, I don't wanna break these chains**

**            Poison**

            Swaying through the door, he slammed into the wall. Looking up he noticed pictures and a small dresser. Ripping the pictures down, he slammed his bugnuks into the side of the dresser, turning it over as he pulled it up. Smashing his fists into it repeatedly he moved onto the next object. Turning around, he came face to face with the mirror. The wild look in his eyes, the sweat pouring off his face, Ken had finally come to the last of his patience.

            **One look could kill**

**            My pain, your thrill**

            Ken hurtled his head into the mirror, the shards of glass stuck out of his forehead. But he didn't care. He only had one thing he had to do, and at what cost, he didn't care.

**            I want to love you but I better not touch (Don't touch)**

**            I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop**

**            I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)**

**            I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison**

**            You're poison running through my veins**

**            You're poison, I don't wanna break these chains**

**            Poison**

            Stumbling into the living room, he found something that he never thought he would. It was the soccer ball that Ran had given him for his birthday. But instead of it being full and round like most soccer balls are, it was flat and had been torn apart. That was it, he couldn't take it anymore. If Ran wasn't going to notice him, then he would _make_ him notice. Even if it meant killing him.

            **I want to love you but I better not touch (Don't touch)**

**            I want to hold you but my senses tell me to stop**

**            I want to kiss you but I want it too much (Too much)**

**            I want to taste you but your lips are venomous poison, yeah**

**            I don't want to break these chains**

**            Poison, oh no**

**            Runnin' deep inside my veins,**

**            Burnin' deep inside my veins**

**            It's poison**

**            I don't wanna break these chains**

**            Poison**

            Soon the TV had been thrown into the kitchen table, the chairs and sofa had been turned upside down, and even the soccer ball had been shredded. There was nothing left that had not been touched by Ken. Dishes had been broken, the telephone had been pulled out of it's socket, and all windows had been broken. By now, Schuldig was certain that Ken could, and would, get the job done. There was no mistaking that.

            In a mere second, Ken was laying on the floor. Standing behind him, Schuldig held a device in his hand, a small remote that would work on the piece behind the young man's ear. He knew that if he hadn't used it, then Ken would have kept going. To what extent, he wasn't sure. He just had to make sure his new toy didn't get broken before he needed it to.

**To be continued.....**

**So, tell me what you think! Leave a message and I'll make sure that I'll read it! Mwah!**


	2. The Arrival

**A/N:** Hey guys, so sorry to keep you waiting for an update! I'm working on all my writing tonight, trying to get new chapters up! Wow, I can't believe I wrote this back in '03. Almost exactly 2 years ago! Well, I hope that there are still some readers waiting for this to update, cause here goes!

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Ran sat staring into the void of darkness that lay in front of him. It had been 3 weeks since Ken had disappeared, and there was still no signs of his fellow Weiss member. He hadn't even gone home since that fateful day, hoping against anything that Ken would walk in and everything would be fine again. But he knew that wouldn't happen. This wasn't a fairy tale and there would be no happy endings.

Leaning over, he placed his elbows on his knees and his head in his palms. Naturally his katana wasn't very far from him. With everything that had been going on the last few weeks, it seemed as if the blade would be getting dull before he knew it. Sure, they had been on missions, he only went to try and get his mind off of Ken, but somehow, it never helped. Omi and Yohji tried talking to him, but it was no use. Even Manx had tried consoling him, but he just wouldn't listen.

Feeling as if the room was closing in on him, he stood up to continue his thoughts elsewhere. Grabbing his sword he made his way up the stairs and towards the roof. The night would be cool and it might help to calm his nerves. He needed something to calm him, but that something was no where to be found.

As he walked by a mirror, he couldn't help but stop and stare at the reflection before him. There stood the stern looking member of Weiss, his red hair hanging loosely in his eyes as he stared at his reflection. He wore a pain of plain jeans and for once, the shirt he wore wasn't the typical orange turtleneck. Instead he wore a black sleeveless shirt that clung to his chest and abdomen. He looked the same, but he definitely didn't feel the same. Every day he worked out and trained, hoping that it would help with whatever was running through his head. His arms and chest were more toned than before, but he really didn't care.

Sighing deeply, he ran a hand through his hair and continued his way topside. When he reached the door to the roof, he pushed and welcomed the fresh air against his skin. He slowly made his way over to his favorite spot, a corner where he used to watch Ken play soccer in the local fields, along with the kids he taught. Sitting down, he placed his katana next to him and stared out into the evening sky.

It seemed as if it were going to be another uneventful night, until Ran heard a slight sound coming from somewhere behind him. Slowly reaching for his katana, he knew that there was a threat. He would have been able to have detected them if they weren't. Standing up, he turned to face the intruder, only to come face to face with the one person he last expected.

"Ken?" He asked startled. At first he thought he was dreaming, that all these sleepless nights had finally caught up to him.

Making a step towards his team mate, he suddenly stopped. There was something different about the man in front of him. There was a different look in the brunette's eyes, and something about that look made Ran feel uneasy.

"Ken? What's wrong?" Ran asked, concerned. "What happened to you?"

Finally Ken looked up at Ran and revealed his bugnuts. Without an expression on his face, the shorter man took a step towards the red head. Gripping his hands into tight fists, he suddenly glared at his team mate.

"It ends here," He growled as he lunged towards Ran.

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Ohhhhh…now isn't that just mean! I know it's short, but at least it's an update right? Guess you'll just have to keep reading the more I update! Let me know what you think! Hope you enjoyed it!Love! 


	3. Author's Promise

**Hey guys! It's me, the author! I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I'm here to make a promise to you! I will have a new chapter up within the next week, and I promise it will be good…I hope. Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but I've actually been working on a novel, can you believe it? Yes, folks, that's right, I've already got 250 pages on my book. Hopefully it will be good enough to get published. But I'm taking a break for now on it to bring to you guys a new chapter. So, as I state once more, I will have another chapter up for you guys by the 18th, that's a promise! And thanks for taking the time to leave me all the wonderful responses to my writing, I always love to hear that someone (even just one person) enjoys my hobby. Thanks again!**


	4. A Fighting Chance

**Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in sooooooo long! But I promise I'll keep posting more chapters soon. And thanks for staying around and reading! Onto the story! PS - remember, I don't own a thing…**

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"It ends here!" Ken screamed as he lunged towards his team mate, a light glinting off of his weapons as he flew closer. 

"Ken, what are you doing!" Ran yelled as he dodged the attack. "What the hell's gotten into you?"

"Just shut up and fight me!"

"I'm not going to fight…" He was cut off as Ken lunged again, this time coming close to leaving marks against the red head's arm.

Ran wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew something was different about the man facing him. He knew that Ken would never attack him, but he also knew that the look in his eyes was different. Not only different, but wrong. Ran could tell that something had happened to his friend, but he wasn't sure what.

"Snap out of it, Ken!"

"SHUT UP!" Ken screamed, and lunged for a third time, this time forcing Ran to pull out his sword. "If you won't fight me, then I'm going to kill you!"

Something was definitely wrong. In a normal sparing match between the two, Ran was always able to beat the brunette. But now, the Weiss member was stronger, faster, and it started to worry him. What had really happened to the young man?

Ran didn't really have a chance to stop and think before he felt a sudden pain in his leg. Looking down his eyes followed the edge of the bugnuts until they reached the intersection of metal and flesh. Ken jumped away before Ran could react, and a streak of blood began to flow down his slender thigh.

"So he does bleed," The familiar voice came from the now smiling man. "Let's see if we can't make you spill the rest!"

Ken's fist slammed across the taller man's face, sending him falling to the ground. As instinct kicked in, Ran rolled away, crouching down on the cement roof. His whole being telling him to fight back, to defend himself, but his heart telling him to stop. Standing up, he tossed the sword to the side.

"I said," He huffed out as he wiped the blood away from his mouth. "I'm not going to fight you, Ken."

"Then I guess it really does end here," Came the response.

It seemed to Ran as if the entire world had slowed down, not only at that point, but since he had first seen Ken on that roof. He watched as his partner sprinted towards him, an almost eerie gleam twinkling in his eyes as he heart the bugnuts shoot out of the gloves. He only had enough time to dodge to the left as he felt the sudden impact of Ken's fist against his chest, sending the two flying against the wall.

Ran slumped against Ken's frame, the sensation of heat and tearing clouded his mind as he heard a soft chuckle escape his attacker's lips. Looking up at the man in front of him, it wasn't the pain that scared him, or the idea that he might very well be dying, but the fact that he couldn't see Ken anywhere in his friend's face. The person Ken used to be was gone, and that was what was killing Ran the most.

"Ken," He coughed, blood flying from his mouth and landing on the other's cheek.

"It's over," He mumbled again. "No more."

Ran didn't know what else to do, all he could do was grab onto Ken's hand as he leaned his head against the wall.

"It's not over," The usually moody man stated. "Because I'm not ready to let go."

It was then that something in Ken's eyes changed. There was a sudden flash and almost instantly Ran could see a change. But Ken didn't notice, he seemed to be in his own little world as his eyes glazed over.

Ken could hear Ran's harsh breathing in his ears, but it wasn't the present he was thinking about, but the past. Images of all of Weiss on missions, the flower shop, soccer practice at the park, and the all too familiar orange turtle neck. Memories and thoughts flood his mind just as it seemed to fade to black.

Ken's grip became lose, causing the bugnuts to retract as he fell to the ground at Ran's feet. No longer to support himself on either the wall or the brunette, the man found himself on the ground as well. It seemed as if everything was going wrong, and Ran wanted everything normal again. At that moment, however, he just wanted to stay awake. But try as hard as he could, the last thing he saw before he fell unconscious was a blur of blond hair and sunglasses.

It was a few hours later when Ran finally woke up in the basement of the flower shop. He groaned as he tried to sit up, feeling as if he had been hit by a bus, and glanced around.

"So you're finally awake?" The saucy voice of Yohji came from behind him. "It's been 4 hours since I found you. Thankfully we know some people who know some people, who know really good doctors."

"Where's Ken?"

"He's in the other room, hasn't woken up yet." Omi stated as he typed away on the computer. "It seems he may have suffered some kind of mental shutdown, almost like his system has some kind of virus and it was shutting down."

"Man, did he have it out for you!" Yohji grinned as he popped a cigarette into his mouth. "I just hope he got some of that frustration out…"

All Ran had to do was give the blond one look and it shut him up. He swung his legs over the side of the couch and attempted to stand.

"Hey! Are you nuts, you'll tear your wounds." Yohji yelled as he pushed the red head back onto the couch. "You need to rest."

"I need to see Ken," The gruff voice remarked.

"Look, he hasn't woken up yet, I'm sure he's been through hell, and he needs to sleep ok. You do too. Get some rest and we'll wake you if there are any changes."

"He's right, Ran." Omi replied as he swung his chair to face him. "Ken may not have as much physical injuries as you do, but he's got a lot of emotional and mental ones. The only thing we can do is wait."

Ran sank back against the couch and slowly inhaled. If had learned anything from his sister, Aya, it was that he was good at waiting for people to wake up.

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And there's the new chapter! I know, I know, so what happens next? Guess you'll just have to keep reading! Leave some love! 


	5. Recovery or Revenge

**Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to all of those who have stuck with me, even though I don't update as much or as often as I should. I thank you for all the love and support and send you hugs! Now, to the next chapter and remember, I don't own a thing!**

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Even though he only lay a few feet away, sleeping soundly, Ran felt as if Ken was miles away. The redhead stared quietly through the glass window into the recovery room, feeling the anger boiling up inside of him. Who had done this to his partner? Who would _want_ to do something like this, and Ran wasn't even sure what it had been that had damaged his friend.

"He won't wake up any faster if you keep staring at him," A voice remarked behind him.

"I know, but I've waited this long, I won't leave him now." He replied as he turned towards his comrade. "Question is, why are you still here, you should go home and get some rest."

"Same reason as you, I guess." Yohji smiled softly. "You should be resting too, you know. You've got some serious injuries."

"I'm fine," He replied.

"Come on," The blond gently grabbed his friend's arm. "Let me make you some coffee to at least keep you awake."

Taking one more look behind him, Ran finally caved in and let Yohji pull him away.

Meanwhile, miles away from the flower shop and the quietly resting Weiss members, a man sat in a room, quietly planning his next move. Schuldig had stood, watching the entire scene, happy with its outcome. Of course, what he really wanted was for Ken to destroy the entire Weiss group, but he had patience, and he would wait even if it took eternity to do.

His fellow Schwarz members were off doing something he didn't much care for, and found himself doing his own work. He actually preferred being alone, never had to listen to others' orders and felt complete control as he watched poor, defenseless Ken slowly go insane. No one in his group knew about the experiments he had been doing on the Weiss member, only because he knew that they would want to take over and claim the glory for themselves. Especially Farfarello; he would have done much worse things to Ken during those few weeks, and Ken wouldn't have survived. Then where would they have been without their puppet?

Schuldig would wait for a few days, letting the group think that the worst was over, and then he would watch as the entire group was slaughtered by the hands of one of their own. Slowly, he sat back in his chair, a smile creeped across his face as his demented mind was busy with future plans.

It had been a long time since Ken had had a peaceful night's rest, but for some reason, his body just felt restless. He kept falling in and out of consciousness, hearing voices and feeling people around him. Something was telling him that it was safe, he was safe, but at the same time, he felt like he needed to run away. He couldn't tell what day it was, or where he was, all he wanted to do was sleep. But he knew he couldn't do that forever.

"How does he look doctor?" A familiar voice drifted through his foggy head.

"Physically he looks like he's doing much better," A reply came. "Mentally, I'm not sure. We won't really find out until he wakes up."

"You could just ask him yourself,"

"Ken!" Omi smiled, "You're awake!"

"Yeah," Ken tried to smile back. "Sorry if I worried you."

"It's ok."

"How are you feeling?" Manx asked as she stepped closer to the bed.

"Tired, and confused. What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Yohji remarked. "You…"

"Were caught off guard during our last mission." Ran stepped in. "But don't worry, a little rest and you'll be back to normal."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to do an exam of him and then ask him a few questions." The doctor replied as he noticed the looks the members of Weiss were giving Ran.

"Of course, we'll be waiting in the lounge." Manx nodded and opened the door, allowing the rest of the group to leave.

"Thank you."

"Ok, so what was up with the lying, Ran?" Yohji huffed as he threw himself onto the couch.

"Yes," Manx turned to the redhead, "I'd like to know too. He has a right to know what happened to him, and you."

"Ran?" Omi asked as he swiveled in his chair.

"Do you think he really deserves to go through the pain of guilt if he found out he tried to kill me? If he found out the truth, who knows how it'll affect him, he might even quite the group. I can let him have that on his conscious, not for me."

"He'll find out eventually," Omi softly remarked. "Then what?"

"When the time comes, I'll be the one to tell him. Until then, he needs to rest without a guilty conscious."

Later that night, as Ken fell back into a deep sleep, images flashed into dreams. Sweat beaded against his forehead as he tossed and turned in his bed. But what started out as a nightmare soon vanished as quickly as it had begun and he was quickly resting once again. Phase one of Schuldig's plan had been placed into action, it was only a matter of time before the results would begin to show.

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**Ok, so here's the latest installment. I'm going to try and update this every other week for you guys. Let me know what you think ok! Thanks again for sticking with me for so long!**


	6. Doctor's Prognosis

**A/N: Yay, another update! Woot! Yes, I am trying to keep updating every other Thursday and here's hoping I can keep it up! Thanks again for the support, enjoy and remember, I don't own a thing L Onto the story!**

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It had been a week since Ken had wandered back into Weiss' headquarters, berserk with anger and the threat of murder on the blades of his bugnuts. It had seemed as if nothing had happened since then, no one mentioned anything to Ken and he was returning to what seemed like the normal member they had always worked with. But deep inside, he knew something was wrong, and he knew Ran was keeping something from him. What that was, he wasn't entirely sure, but he knew it must be bad if they were keeping it from him.

For the past few days Ken had been going to the doctor's office once he had been cleared of any problems from the incident. He no longer had to sleep in the recovery room they kept in the back of the flower shop. The brunette laughed at the thought of having a recovery room in the back of a flower shop, but it had it's purpose. You try explaining the cuts and gunshot wounds to a doctor every week, how you got it, who's blood was on your clothes. They had found it useful to keep their secrets by keeping their own hospital at hand.

"Hey Ken," A voice came from behind him as he placed a vase of roses on the table.

"Yeah?" He turned to Omi as he wiped the soil off of his fingers.

"Today's your last exam at the doctor's right?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure why he wants to see me, after all I'm completely healed." Ken shook his head. "I guess he just wants to be safe about it."

"Did you need someone to go with you?" Yohji asked as he joined the conversation.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'm just going to walk there. It's a nice night, I need to stretch my legs."

"Ok, if you're sure." Omi looked doubtful, obviously worried about his teammate.

Ken still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Everytime he wanted to go somewhere, any errand he had to run, those two kept asking to go with him. Most of the time he didn't mind, but tonight, he wanted to go alone. He just needed some time to think, away from the flower shop and away from the guys. Somewhere quiet.

Meanwhile, downstairs Ran sat at the computer, the glare of the screen casting an eerie glow across his troubled features. File after file he tried to find a reason why Ken had attacked him, tried to find a trace of who took him, but he kept coming up empty. For hours now he had been alone downstairs, blatantly avoiding the man who had attacked him. Ran tried to find some kind of clue that could make him understand what had happened that night, or the nights that followed, that had made Ken different. And he was different, Ran could tell. There was something in the younger man's eyes that the redhead didn't like, and he was going to find out sooner or later.

Suddenly something caught his eye. Moving the mouse over a file titled video feed, Ran clicked it to discover something he hoped would give him clues to what happened that night. As he sat, playing the video over and over again, Yohji moved back up the stairs, sighing inwardly. This definitely wasn't how the blond had pictured life to continue once they had found Ken. He only hoped that in time, things would be back to normal.

Finally Ken was getting the alone time he had desired for the last few days. The streets were pretty empty as he made his way to the doctor's office a few blocks away. The late evening's cool breeze whipped across the man's face as small puffs of air escaped his lips. It had taken a few minutes to reassure his teammates that he was fine walking alone down a street and that he would be back before they knew it. Besides, what else could the doctor do to examine him? He was completely healed now and didn't need his bandages changed or anything.

"What a pain," Ken whispered to himself. "Better to be safe than sorry, I guess."

Walking up the stairs, he pulled open the door and entered the building.

"Hello? Dr. Hitoshi?" Ken yelled out.

"I'm in here, Ken." Came the reply from an office down the hall.

"So what did you need to see me about tonight, doc? I've been seeing you almost every night for the last week. What's so important?" Ken asked leaning against the door frame.

"I wanted to show you the cat scan results from earlier this week."

"I told you I didn't have a concussion or anything." He replied.

"I might have found something, something not related to your injuries."

Ken came further into the office and stood next to Dr. Hitoshi as the older gentleman placed the images on the screen on the wall. Ken's heart almost seemed to stop as he noticed a tiny solid mass in the back of his neck. Suddenly, his world seemed as if it were trying to tear itself apart as his head started to spin, the room seeming to close in on itself.

"Ken? Ken, what's wrong?" A distant voice came spilling into his head. But before he could answer, another voice seemed to pound into his very existence.

"_Kill…danger to you…he's nothing…you **must** take care of it…."_

Grabbing his head, Ken fell to his knees. The agony and pain coursing through his brain, down his spine, even to his very fingertips.

"Ken, speak to me." The doctor's voice became suddenly clear as Ken felt his hand on his shoulder. But when Ken looked back up, the doctor knew something was wrong, something was very wrong. "Ken?"

The brunette said nothing as he stood up, grabbing a scalpel from the exam counter in the office. He took one step towards the doctor and the older man knew that he was in danger. As their doctor for the last few years, he knew he had no chance against a Weiss member when they were in top health, but a Weiss member who seemed like he was much more violent? He didn't even have a chance to yell out before Ken advanced on him.

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**Ok, so another chapter down! Oooooh, what's going to happen? Hmmmm, just have to wait for the next chapter! Leave me some love, let me know what you think! HUGS Thanks!**


	7. Something Just Ain't Right

**Author's Note: Hey guys, sooo sorry I'm late on this update. Been hectic in my life and haven't had the time to sit down and write. I've also been stuck with some serious writer's block. But now I'm back and ready to keep writing if you're willing to keep reading!**

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"It was reported that the doctor's office had been broken into late last night, resulting in the gruesome murder that was reported earlier this morning. Police have released a statement regarding the case, stating that there are no suspects at this time and will continue to investigate into this horrendous act of rage."

The tv in the background continued to discuss the loss of Weiss' Doctor as three out of the four members sat discussing what had happened.

"It couldn't have been him," Yohji stated. "There's no way he could have done it."

"You said that about him attacking Ran, but he did it. We both saw the injuries they had on each other." Omi remarked back. "And the fact that he never came home last night is an indicator that something's wrong. He was supposed to be going to Dr. Takai's office last night and from what the news castor was talking about the Doc was killed around the time that Ken should have been there."

"Now wait a minute," Came the feminine voice of Manx from the corner. "Who's to say that Ken didn't get there to find him already murdered and went off to find the killer? You should support him, not point the blame at him; he's your teammate after all."

"She's right," Ran finally spoke up. "I'm going out there to find him." And with that he turned and left the remaining members of Weiss alone with their thoughts.

Ken sat atop a hillside looking over into the vast sea. He had stopped here once before, when he had brought her along. Even after she had left this place still brought peace to his troubled life, and he had hoped it would do the same thing now. Suddenly he clutched his head, scenes replayed in his mind, scorching them into his memory. The pieces were coming back to him now, and he was learning a very dark side of himself that he hadn't realized was there. If only he could remember the whole incident, or what had caused him to change, anything that would help to break him of this terrible metamorphosis. All he knew was that he couldn't change that fact that he was a danger to himself, and more importantly to those he cared about.

"I thought you'd be here," A voice came from behind him. Startled he turned around to find Ran leaning against the rail that separated the road from the grassy hill. "Why didn't you come home last night?"

"You should go back to the flower shop." Ken replied as he stood up. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me!" Ran yelled as he grabbed Ken's arm, stopping the brunette from getting back to his bike. "Everything you do affects the entire team, not just you."

"Do you have any idea what I'm going through right now?" Ken yelled back. "For the last few weeks I haven't been feeling like myself and now I know that I'm not."

"You just need some time to recover. Give it a few more weeks to..."

"A few more weeks to what? You want me to wait around and see if anything changes? What happens if I get worse? I killed Dr. Takai. You have no idea what it's like to take an innocent life like his."

"That wasn't you, there's something wrong and we need to fix it."

"It was me! And that's the problem. You try and pretend it's not me, but it is. I remember pieces of that night I came back. I wasn't hurt because of an attack on me, I got hurt trying to kill you." Ken turned back to the ocean, the breeze whipping his hair away from his face. It was then that Ran realized how pale his teammate looked.

"We can get you help," Ran stated, more gently than his previous remarks.

"No, you can't. This is something that I have to figure out on my own. I need to find out what happened to me when I disappeared for those weeks. If I don't, I can't live with the fact that I could be...no, that I am a killer."

"Ken..."

"My hands are tainted with blood that shouldn't be there," Ken turned back to his motorcycle, a new determination on his face. "And I'm going to kill the person who made me do it."

Ran realized then that there was no way to talk Ken out of leaving. He stood next to the bike as the brunette got ready to leave.

"At least take this," The redhead gave Ken his cellphone. "I want you to at least stay in touch this time."

"Thanks." Ken nodded. "I don't know how long I'm going to be gone, but I can't come back until I know I'm alright. And I can put you guys in harms way either. This has got to stop, one way or the other."

And with that Ken lowered the visor on his helmet and sped off down the road. When the younger of the two had finally gone out of site Ran pulled a device out of his pocket. Flipping it open, he turned it on and watched as the little dot on the screen made it's way along the highway.

"I lost you once already, I'm not losing you again." He replied as he got in his car and followed Ken, using the tracking device in the cellphone to keep a safe distance without losing track of the bike.

Meanwhile, back at Schwarze's headquarters, Schuldig was busy downloading the data files he had gotten from Ken's little implant. He had realized that something was wrong, and had discovered that his new toy was remembering things little by little. He also knew that he had to stop it before the Weiss member became uncontrollable. It was time to start the second part of the phase, the best part of his plan, or at least he thought. Soon Ken would become so scrambled he wouldn't know friend from foe and eventually succumb to madness and murder. The time was almost there to place a second pawn in the game and Schuldig couldn't wait to start the next level of the game. His smile grew wider as he prepared his 'child' to become the monster he had always wanted.

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Author's note: Ok, so there's the newest chapter! I apologize again for making you guys wait so long :( I just moved into my own place so internet has been kind of gone for a few weeks, having to check my stuff at my folks home. Plus my dad's laptop (which is what I'm using now) didn't have any kind of writing program, so I had to download Word onto it. But I'm back baby and I hope you enjoyed this new little snippet of the story! R and R please!**


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